Welcome to the Micromobility Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and industry news in the world of personal transportation.
Today’s newsletter is brought to you by… S-E-A
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What You Need to Know Today
We’re gonna need a bigger endowment. Last Tuesday, Denver released 220 e-bike rebate vouchers, and all were claimed within 60 seconds. About 17,000 people applied for a voucher, more than 77 times the amount available.
After years of legal and environmental debates, the US National Park Service has decided to let individual parks choose whether to allow e-bikes, a move that will almost certainly open up access to more backcountry trails to e-bikers.
Gogoro will expand into Nepal next month with a footprint of 45 battery-swapping stations.
Image Credit: Gogoro
Nordic e-scooter operator Ryde increased its EBITDA by more than 400% YoY in 2023. For those wondering if shared micromobility can be a money maker, the company’s profit margin improved from -37% in 2022 to 12% in 2023.
In 2021, New York City Mayor Eric Adams pledged to build 300 miles of protected bike lanes in four years. Halfway through his first term, the city is far behind target, with only 58 miles of protected bike lanes completed.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, pedestrians and cyclists stand to benefit as both active transportation advocates and labor unions back California State Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 960, mandating that Caltrans prioritize Complete Streets designs.
Did you know tickets to Micromobility America (Costa Mesa, Nov 14-15) are currently discounted by more than 80% during our Summer Sale? It’s true, but like summer itself, this deal is ending…
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Despite England’s success with micromobility, the Scottish government has yet to implement e-scooter trials.
It feels like EV moped startup Ola Electric has been monopolizing the electric mobility headlines lately, but market analysts are warning that legacy two-wheel players, like Bajaj and TVS, are gaining Indian market share with strong discounting and low pricing.
In response to a growing number of e-scooter accidents in South Korea, the Minister of the Interior will introduce more stringent e-scooter safety measures that include lower speed limits from 25kmph to 20kmph along with stricter enforcement with higher fines for excessive speed, wearing a helmet, and riding while intoxicated.
Image Credit: Beam
A UK disability advocacy group warns that bans on e-bike storage by public institutions, insurers, and landlords put a disproportionate burden on people with disabilities who rely on micromobility for basic transportation needs.
Malaysia’s Prince Court Medical Centre introduced medically equipped e-motorcycle “ambulances” that are designed to reach patients in traffic-congested areas more quickly and deliver immediate care until a conventional ambulance can transport them to a hospital.
Relatedly NHS England plans to utilize e-cargo bikes for last-mile delivery of medical supplies on medical campuses as part of the Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy, which will electrify its fleet vehicles with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 70%.
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